Shuttle fur

ABSTRACT

An improved shuttle fur takes the form of a strip of natural animal fur, preferably Australasian Opossum, or synthetic fur which is stitched along its longitudinal sides. The longitudinal stitching compresses the base of the fur fibers inwardly and thereby assists them in standing up. Such stitching, adjacent the longitudinal edges of the strip, initially improves the fur density and maintains the fur density high after extended periods of time.

United States Patent Bergner May 13, 1975 [54] SHUTTLE FUR 3,261,377 7/1966 Balut 138/213 [76] Inventor: Isidore Bergner, 855 Avenue of the FOREIGN PATENTS 0 APPLICATIONS Amemas, New 10001 28,774 3/1904 Switzerland 139/213 [22] Filed: Aug. 16, 1973 [21] Appl No: 389 006 Primary Examiner.lames Kee Chi Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Fleit & Jacobson [52] US. Cl. 139/213 51 Int. Cl. D03j 5/24 1 ABSTRACT Field of Search 139/213, 196, 198; An improved shuttle fur takes the form of a strip of 28/77; 112/262 natural animal fur, preferably Australasian Opossum, or synthetic fur which is stitched along its longitudinal References Clted sides. The longitudinal stitching compresses the base UNITED STATES PATENTS of the fur fibers inwardly and thereby assists them in 1,676,438 7/1928 Harrison 139 213 Standing p- Such Stitching, adjacent the longitudinal 1,687,467 10/1928 Stimpson 139/213 edges of the strip, initially improves the fur density 1,786,602 12/1930 Craig 139/212 X and maintains the fur density high after extended peri- 2,066,545 l/l937 Shuttleworth. 1l2/262 X ods of time, 2,343,659 3/1944 Gerson 139/213 2,360,747 10/1944 Wesson 112/262 X 10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Fig PATENTED MAY 1 3197s Fig 6 PRIOR ART SHUTTLE FUR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improved shuttle fur for use in loom shuttles, the fur strip serving as a friction device on the shuttle thread as it is paid out before weaving.

When shuttle thread being paid out from a loom shuttle is left unrestrained during loom operation, it usually comes off the loom bobbin nonuniformly and thus becomes disarranged, entangled and even broken. For this reason, conventional loom shuttles are provided with friction devices for preventing the shuttle yarn from unwinding too rapidly.

Conventionally, such friction devices take the form of a natural or synthetic fur strip which is positioned so that the fur abuts the thread on the loom bobbin. As the loom thread is unwound from the bobbin, it is forced between the bobbin and the fur abutting the bobbin, and this action serves as a friction brake preventing the thread from unwinding faster than necessary.

Shuttle fur strips are conventionally made from a wide variety of materials including the fur of natural animals, synthetic fur, pile fabrics and other similar materials. Although shuttle fur strips made from cheaper synthetic materials such as synthetic pile fabrics and the like can be used in many applications, natural animal fur must be used in some applications, particularly where loom threads needing a large amount of tension braking are processed. In this regard, it is generally accepted that natural animal furs, and particularly the fur of the Australasian Opossum, is the best fur for use in weaving high tension threads such as used in finer cloth materials as well as fiberglass and the like. Because of its extremely high fur density, natural fur and particularly the fur of the Australasian Opossum is capable of properly tensioning the thread, whereas less dense fur materials and almost all synthetic shuttle furs are not. For this reason, natural fur strips, and particularly the fur of the Australasian Opossum, are considered to be very valuable in the art.

Unfortunately, shuttle fur strips and particularly natural animal shuttle fur strips can be expensive to use. This is caused in part by the fact that the shuttle fur strips become matted and misshapen, and thus lose their advantageous density characteristics after comparatively short periods of use. Accordingly, shuttle fur strips must be repeatedly replaced. Moreover, in many instances only natural animal fur strips are suitable and in fact in some situations such as when weaving fiberglass yarn, only the most dense Australasian Opossum fur strips can be used. Natural animal fur and particularly the highly dense Australasian fur strips are, of course, more expensive than other fur strips, and accordingly, repeated replacement of these fur strips can be very expensive.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved high density shuttle fur which retains its advantageous high density for extended periods of time.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved high shuttle fur which is simple and inexpensive in construction.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a method for improving the fur density and quality of fur strips and for maintaining such improved density and quality for extended periods of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by stitching a strip of shuttle fur made from natural animal or synthetic fur, preferably Australasian Opossum natural fur, along one or both longitudinal edges of the fur strip in such a way that the bases of those fur fibers adjacent to the longitudinal edge or edges of the strips are compressed inwardly toward the longitudinal middle of the strip.

By stitching the fur strip in this manner, the fur fibers adjacent to the longitudinal edge or edges are fortified against their natural tendency to flop 0r bendover the edge, away from the longitudinal middle of the strip. Hence, the fur fibers carried by the strip are compressed into a smaller area and, accordingly, the density of the fur on the strip is markedly enhanced. Moreover, because the fur fibers in the inventive shuttle fur are supported by long lasting stitching, the improved density and texture of the fur provided by the stitching will be maintained for extended periods of time. Finally, because longitudinal stitching can be easily applied to almost any type of fur strip, including already highly dense strips of Australasian Opossum fur, the present invention provides shuttle fur strips having a higher density and thus capable of performing their friction brake function better than the best shuttle fur available at the present time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention may be more readily understood by reference to the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly in cross-section, of a conventional loom shuttle showing the positioning of shuttle fur made in accordance with the present invention in an operating position therein;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a strip of the inventive shuttle fur, showing the distribution of the fibers in the fur;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the improved shuttle fur provided by the present invention, showing the formation and effect of stitching along the longitudinal edges of the fur strip in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a section of the improved shuttle fur of the invention showing the back of the shuttle fur strip;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an entire strip of shuttle fur provided by the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 2, illus trating the fiber distribution in a strip of conventional shuttle fur; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing another embodiment of the improved shuttle fur in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional loom shuttle 10 carries a bobbin l2 thereon which is wound with a conventional loom thread 14. The leading end 16 of loom thread 14 comes off bobbin 12 and is paid out from the loom shuttle by means of an abutment or roller 18 and a hole 20 in the loom shuttle l0. Strips of shuttle fur 22 are secured to the sides and bottom of loom 10 with the fibers 24 of the shuttle fur abutting thread 14 wound on bobbin 12. With this construction, the fur fibers in shuttle fur strips 22 act as a positive friction brake preventing the portion of the loom thread 14 coming off bobbin 12 from unravelling too quickly.

In accordance with the present invention, improved shuttle fur is made by stitching a strip of natural animal or synthetic fur, preferably the natural fur of an Australasian Opossum, along one or both of its longitudinal edges. As shown in FIGS. 2 through 5, the inventive shuttle fur 22 is provided with stitching 28 along both longitudinal edges 26. The stitching 28 stitches the base of the outside fur fibers 29 to the fur skin 40. As further shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the stitching 28 extends around the longitudinal edge 26 of the fur strip and inwardly compresses the bases of those fur fibers 29 adjacent to the longitudinal edges. With this construction, the outside fur fibers 29 are compressed inwardly and, accordingly, all of the fur fibers 24 and 29 are bunched more closely together so that the cross-sectional shape of the fur strip assumes a shape similar 'to that illustrated in FIG. 4.

Because the fur fibers 24 and 29 in the inventive shuttle fur are bunched much more closely together, as shown in FIG. 4, the inventive shuttle fur is more dense than prior art shuttle furs. Accordingly, it is possible by practicing the present invention not only to improve significantly the density and texture of most conventional shuttle furs, but also to provide shuttle furs which, because of their improved density, permit the weaving of fibers in a manner unavailable with previous shuttle furs. Moreover, because the fur fibers 24 and 29 are compressed inwardly by means of long-lasting stitching, the improved shuttle fur strips made in accordance with this invention maintain their desirable high density for'extended periods of time, even when subjected to a great deal of use in the loom operation.

As can therefore be seen, the present invention provides a method for improving the service life of conventional shuttle furs and for enhancing the density and texture of conventional shuttle furs. Although not wishing to be bound to any theory, applicant believes that this advantageous result is due at least in part to the fact that the fur fibers in the inventive shuttle fur are shorne up along the longitudinal edges of the strip and therefore prevented from completely flopping over. In this regard, applicant has noticed that once an animal hide is cut into strips and the strips separated from one another, the fur fibers adjacent the longitudinal edges of each fur strip are no longer laterally supported by the fur fibers on an adjacent strip. For this reason, the fur fibers adjacent the longitudinal edges of the strip flop over so that the fur fibers in the strip assume an extended fantail shape such as shown in FIG. 6. With the fur fibers positioned in this extended fantail stape, the lateral support that adjacent fibers in the body provide one another is significantly reduced. Consequently, fur fibers in the body of the strip can be quickly deformed, flattened and otherwise pushed laterally out of position when the shuttle fur strip is used. In the inventive shut tle fur, however, stitching 28 along the longitudinal edges of the fur strips prevents those fur fibers adjacent to the longitudinal edges of the strip from flopping over, which in turn insures that each fur fiber provides its neighboring fibers with significant lateral support. Consequently, even when subjected to significant contact in the loom shuttle, the fur fibers are capable of maintaining themselves in the proper position.

Another embodiment of the inventive shuttle fur is partially illustrated in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the

longitudinal strip of natural animal or synthetic fur, instead of being stitched along its longitudinal edges, is set into a C-shaped element 30, having upstanding edges 32 and 34. Upstanding edges 32 and 34 extend vertically upward adjacent to the longitudinal edges 31 of the fur strip and are in contact with the lower portions of the fur fibers 33 adjacent the longitudinal edges 31 of the strip. Upstanding edges 32 and 34 accomplish basically the same function as stitching 28, in that they inwardly compress the fur fibers 33 adjacent the longitudinal edges of the fur strips. As in the basic embodiment of the invention, thisinward compression of the fur fibers along the longitudinal edges of the strips tends to condense all of the fur fibers in the strip into a smaller amount of space, thereby increasing the density of the fur per unit area.

Still another method contemplated by the present invention for causing a natural animal or synthetic fur strip to assume the shape shown in FIG. 4 and thereby increasing its fur density is to spray the longitudinal sides of the fur with a plastic material so that the tendency of the external rows of fur fibers to flop over is substantially reduced or eliminated. By'preventing the outside fur fibers from flopping over to the position as shown in FIG. 2, the fur strip would be maintained in a configuration more in accordance with FIG. 4 so that the overall density of the fur strip would be kept high.

A still further alternate method contemplated by the present invention for achieving a substantial densification of the fur is to weave very fine thread around strands of the fur, the weaving commencing at the outer periphery of the strip and zigzagging along the edges and progressing laterally'through to the other side. Such weaving results in'the binding of the fur, thereby causing it to take on the character of a brush.

Yet another method contemplated by the present invention for increasing the fur density of a natural animal or synthetic fur strip is to attach a comparatively narrow strip of a fabric having an upstanding, relatively rigid and nonyielding pile to one or both longitudinal edges of the fur strip in such a way that the pile acts as a wall preventing the fur fibers from flopping over during normal use. The pile height of the fibric employed for this purpose should also be less than the height of the fur fibers, for example three-fourth the height of the fur fibers, so that the fur fibers adjacent the longitudinal edges of the fur strip can overflow across the top edges of the fabric. This overflow protects the yarn on and coming off the bobbin from the sharp fabric edges defined by the rigid pile and thus allows the bobbin to lie in the bed of fur fibers carried by the fur strip. Preferably, the narrow fabric strip carrying the upstanding pile is stitched to the natural animal or synthetic fur strip.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been described above, it should be appreciated that many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, any other methods and structures which will cause the fur fibers situated adjacent the longitudinal edges of the strip to stand up straight or compress inwardly, instead of flopping over outwardly, can be used in accordance with the present invention. Further, it is not intended that the animal and synthetic fur strips always be stitched along both longitudinal edges, since it should be appreciated that a substantial upgrading of fur quality can be obtained by stitching only one longitudinal.

edge of the fur. Finally, although the present invention has been described with particular reference to the fur of the Australasian Opossum, the teachings of the present invention are equally applicable to other types of natural animal and synthetic furs, as well as any other fiber-like strip carrying a plurality of closely packed filaments which is conventionally used as a shuttle fur strip, such as for example a synthetic pile fabric. It is intended that all reasonable modifications which occur to those skilled in the art be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

1 claim:

1. Improved shuttle fur comprising a relatively thin longitudinal strip of natural animal or synthetic fur having fur fibers connected to the animal skin or a base sheet and means stitching said fibers to said skin or base sheet along at least one longitudinal edge of said strip, which means acts on the base of the stitched fur fibers to force the base of said stitched fur fibers toward the longitudinal center of said strip and to urge said stitched fur fibers against their natural tendency to bend over the edge away from the longitudinal center of said strip to thereby increase the fur density of said fur fibers.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said strip has stitching along both its longitudinal edges.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said fur strip is made from synthetic fur.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said fur strip is made from natural animal fur.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said fur strip is made from the fur of the Australasian Opossum.

6. In an elongated strip of shuttle fur for uses in a loom shuttle for tensioning shuttle thread as it unwinds from the bobbin and is paid out by the shuttle, said shuttle fur strip being an elongated strip of material having an essentially planar base sheet and a plurality of closely packed fur fibers projected from and carried by one side of said base sheet the improvement comprising means attached to said strip for laterally compressing the base of the fur fibers adjacent at lease one longitudinal edge of said strip toward the longitudinal center of said strip to thereby fortify the fur fibers adjacent said edge against their natural tendency to bend over the edge away from the longitudinal center of said strip and increase the fur density of said strip.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said means includes longitudinal stitching which inwardly compresses the bases of the fur fibers adjacent to said longitudinal edge.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said strip has stitching along both longitudinal edges.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein said means comprises an upstanding edge positioned adjacent to said longitudinal edge, said upstanding edge vertically extending above said base and acting on the fur fibers adjacent to said longitudinal edge for shoring up same.

10. The device of claim 6 wherein both longitudinal edges of said strip are provided with said means. 

1. Improved shuttle fur comprising a relatively thin longitudinal strip of natural animal or synthetic fur having fur fibers connected to the animal skin or a base sheet and means stitching said fibers to said skin or base sheet along at least one longitudinal edge of said strip, which means acts on the base of the stitched fur fibers to force the base of said stitched fur fibers toward the longitudinal center oF said strip and to urge said stitched fur fibers against their natural tendency to bend over the edge away from the longitudinal center of said strip to thereby increase the fur density of said fur fibers.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said strip has stitching along both its longitudinal edges.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein said fur strip is made from synthetic fur.
 4. The device of claim 2 wherein said fur strip is made from natural animal fur.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein said fur strip is made from the fur of the Australasian Opossum.
 6. In an elongated strip of shuttle fur for uses in a loom shuttle for tensioning shuttle thread as it unwinds from the bobbin and is paid out by the shuttle, said shuttle fur strip being an elongated strip of material having an essentially planar base sheet and a plurality of closely packed fur fibers projected from and carried by one side of said base sheet the improvement comprising means attached to said strip for laterally compressing the base of the fur fibers adjacent at lease one longitudinal edge of said strip toward the longitudinal center of said strip to thereby fortify the fur fibers adjacent said edge against their natural tendency to bend over the edge away from the longitudinal center of said strip and increase the fur density of said strip.
 7. The device of claim 6 wherein said means includes longitudinal stitching which inwardly compresses the bases of the fur fibers adjacent to said longitudinal edge.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein said strip has stitching along both longitudinal edges.
 9. The device of claim 6 wherein said means comprises an upstanding edge positioned adjacent to said longitudinal edge, said upstanding edge vertically extending above said base and acting on the fur fibers adjacent to said longitudinal edge for shoring up same.
 10. The device of claim 6 wherein both longitudinal edges of said strip are provided with said means. 